Why FileCloud Users Needed an AutoCAD Integration
When it comes to file sharing and collaboration, FileCloud users send files to internal recipients, as well as external shareholders, clients, and vendors. Especially for those in the manufacturing, engineering or architecture fields, these shared files often include AutoCAD designs.
These designs are vital to share externally. However, sharing can be difficult, as most external users won’t have access to CAD software. One option is to share files in a 2D PDF format, but this removed the ability to review files dynamically, from various angles and perspectives. Viewers would then also have to email comments and edits rather than work in the file directly.
This workaround costs teams time and also stands to impact the actual outcome of the product, since users aren’t able to see the full design. The team at FileCloud realized this unique pain point could be solved with FileCloud’s hyper-secure environment and integration flexibility.
The Solution to the 2D Problem
FileCloud’s innovative AutoCAD-to-cloud integration delivers designs to reviewers and users in real-time within the original CAD files. Using Autodesk’s Data Management API, a user can click on the file they want, with the option to view the file as a 2D or 3D model.
The image is dynamic, presented within Autodesk’s CAD file viewer without leaving the hyper-secure FileCloud environment. This supports the user’s ability to move and turn the rendered object to view from all sides, ensuring the integrity of the design throughout the review and approval process.
Users can accomplish a variety of tasks with this CAD file viewer integration, including:
- Provide feedback through comments and edits directly within the file, whether as an internal or external user.
- Control versions of the file as it proceeds through the review and revision processes.
- Create new workflows to automate management of the CAD file, ensuring smooth processing and delivery.
This integration between FileCloud and Autodesk helps ensure that collaboration remains seamless and easy when working with specialized CAD files. Users collaborating within the architecture, design, and construction industries can support complex projects without missing a beat, saving organizations and clients time and money, regardless of the types of file involved in the project.
“Autodesk customers create these rich documents that they need to share with others. They also need to protect their intellectual property. Autodesk’s cloud-based APIs combine into a simple solution that allows us to call up files live. It’s a win-win. Reviewers get the best possible view, and designers protect their IP, using FileCloud’s hyper-secure content platform.”
– Ray Downes, CEO, FileCloud